Banaskantha: Nine people, including one woman, were rescued by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) on Sunday after being stranded in the swelling Sabarmati River near Danta in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district.
Officials said the rescue operation, which began Saturday evening, was initially hampered by strong river currents and had to be called off late at night. Despite deploying a helicopter, the teams could not reach the group on time. “Our team received a message at 8 pm that nine people were stranded in Dhakad village near the river. Due to the heavy flow, the rescue wasn’t possible last night. Today, all of them were rescued safely eight men and one woman,” SDRF PSI MP Rawal told Media Agency ANI
Danta sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Harini KP confirmed the stranded individuals were local villagers who had ventured out to graze cattle when water levels rose unexpectedly. “They remained stuck in the middle of the river overnight. Our teams stayed on-site for hours, monitoring the situation, and eventually succeeded on the second attempt. All rescued are safe both physically and mentally,” she said.
Gujarat Rainfall Updates
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), Gujarat has so far received 102.89% of its average monsoon rainfall, with the southern region at 107.99% and the east-central region at 107.34%. North Gujarat reported 106.5%, while Saurashtra stood at 91.29%.
Heavy rains have been recorded across the state in the past 24 hours. Kaprada received 10 inches, while Poshina and Dharampur measured 6 inches each. Other regions, including Radhanpur, Umargam, Bhachau, Lakhni, Talod, and Palanpur, reported over 4 inches.
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SEOC data shows 15 districts, including Sanand, Kadi, Botad, Danta, Dhanera, and Satlasana, received 3 inches of rain, while 38 districts including Mehsana, Jamkandorana, Dahod, and Valsad—reported 2 inches. Rainfall between half an inch to an inch was logged in 75 more districts, making significant downpours reported across 139 districts in total.
Wider North India Flooding
Meanwhile, flood fury continues in northern states. In Punjab, rising river waters have submerged multiple villages, cutting access to essentials. Officials there confirmed the death toll has climbed to 46.